Since this blog is about all things “urinary,” let’s talk color. When growing up, you learn that certain objects are distinct colors, such as the sky is blue, grass is green and urine is yellow. However, what does it mean when one day you find your urine to be green, brown, or even blood-tinged? Changes in your urine color can be the first indicator of possible medical issues. Your “pee” can foresee problems that you may have been unaware you have.
Healthy urine should be clear, which is a sign that you’ve been drinking a good amount of liquids and are hydrated and healthy. However, the color of urine is often affected by medication, vitamins, diet, or diseases, such as kidney or liver disorders.
Dark yellow urine is often due to dehydration and not enough liquid consumption, which can be fixed by drinking more liquids. On an average day, we need at least 32 ounces of fluids per day.
Fluorescent yellow or orange urine signifies the consumption of darker colored foods, such as beets and carrots, or too much vitamin C. This can be an early sign of liver dysfunction if the urine consistently stays dark yellow/orange or brownish in color and you are experiencing other symptoms. (Brown urine, along with other symptoms, can be a sign of a serious condition, such as liver or kidney diseases.)
Green or blue urine is often caused by artificial coloring in foods or drugs (e.g. dyes). Urine that is a brighter green color, however, can also be an indication of an excess of B vitamins.
Murky, cloudy urine can be related to either bacterial vaginosis (BV) or a yeast infection, a bad case of a UTI, kidney stones, or other urinary tract diseases. Other complaints associated with cloudy urine are painful urination, reduced urine outflow and increased urinary frequency.
Blood-tinged or rust-colored urine that is accompanied by pain, burning and frequent urination is most likely a bacterial urinary tract infection (UTI). The urine may also be cloudy and/or have an odor. If this is the case, contact your healthcare provider for a urine culture; if you do have a UTI you’ll need a prescription antibiotic medication to clear up the infection. While waiting to see your doctor or for your culture results, which can sometimes take a few days, try Cystex® Urinary Pain Relief Tablets, available over-the-counter at drug stores.
Cystex® is unique in that it not only helps relieve the pain and discomfort of a UTI, but it also contains an antibacterial agent that helps stop the progression of the infection until your physician puts you on a course of antibiotic medication.
Larrian Gillespie says that any changes in urine color that don’t go away in a few days should be addressed with your healthcare provider.
She also says that the strength of your urine flow is important to pay attention to.
More on that later.
